ASSUME POSITIVE INTENT.
—— Embrace a mindset that talking will
lead to something good.
“A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue.” —Truman Capote
Work of any kind requires communication—and you may need
to broach difficult subjects. Your challenge is to create open
and productive discussions where people feel safe sharing
their experiences and perspectives, and are receptive to
learning. Start by following some fundamental ground rules
for all conversations—whether with colleagues, in a team, or in
larger group settings.1
ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE—
NOT DEBATE.
—— Dialogue is open-ended—you
express your experiences,
viewpoints, and perspectives and
learn from someone else’s.
—— Be open to being challenged, accept
the other person’s understanding,
and retry if necessary.
HOLD YOURSELF AND
OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE
FOR DEMONSTRATING
CULTURAL HUMILITY. 2
—— Pause for self-reflection and to
analyze your assumptions, behaviors,
and experiences. Role model this
behavior for others.
—— Put aside your own judgments,
viewpoints, and biases to focus on
what the person actually means—and
recognize that you might not know
his or her true intent or what he or
she has experienced.
—— Pay attention to non-verbal cues
(e.g., facial expressions, body
language, and silence).
—— Ask whether you are being
understood and whether you are
understanding correctly.
BE OPEN, TRANSPARENT, AND
WILLING TO ADMIT MISTAKES.
—— Practice, practice, practice. Honest
communication is a skill to be developed.
—— Accept the fact that you won’t always
say the right thing.
—— Approach miscommunication with
openness and positive inquiry—the
goal is to understand, not to accuse.
—— Shared learning is the goal—not
winning an argument.
—— Suggest alternative ways of thinking
and talking when you see others
engaging in biased behaviors.
EMBRACE THE POWER OF
HUMBLE LISTENING.
CREATE TRUSTING AND
SAFE SPACES—WHERE A
LITTLE BIT OF DISCOMFORT
IS OKAY.
COMMIT TO HAVING
CONVERSATIONS THAT
MATTER BY SPEAKING UP
TO BRIDGE DIVIDES.
—— Be open to trying different
approaches—different people will
feel safe in different ways depending
on cultural background, experiences,
and expectations.
—— Be willing to speak up as a champion
for inclusion when you witness difficult
situations or exclusionary behaviors,
bias, and discrimination.
—— Don’t just hear what someone is
saying—listen.
—— Put your own ego, assumptions, and
viewpoints aside to reflect on and learn
from someone else’s experiences.3
—— Admit that sharing perspectives might
involve taking a risk and that it might
be uncomfortable.
Catalyst, Engaging in Conversations About Gender, Race, and Ethnicity in the Workplace (2016).
Marcie Fisher-Borne, Jessie Montana Cain, and Suzanne L. Martin, “From Mastery to Accountability: Cultural Humility as an
Alternative to Cultural Competence,” Social Work Education: The International Journal, vol. 25, no. 2: p. 165-181.
3
Catalyst, Inclusive Leadership Training: Leading With Effective Communication (2016).
1
2
This work is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0
International License.
—— Engage in conversations in which
people feel valued and respected for
their differences.